Members’ Area

From receiving expert help and guidance to benchmarking your business’ performance, the Members’ Area is a gateway to resources, services and support specifically developed for those working in the field of design.

Some sections are exclusively accessible to DBA members, connecting you to the extensive range of benefits your membership provides.

DBA membership extends to everyone working within your business – all members of your team can register for their own password – ensuring the whole team benefits.

Main Content

Resources

Essential guidance, templates, insight and tools to support you on all aspects of the business of design. From contracts to client opinion, legal updates to exporting support, our resources give you instant access to expert advice and tools to help solve a wide range of business challenges.

If you can’t find the information you’re after please email membership@dba.org.uk or call +44 (0)20 3855 4126 and we’ll look to source or signpost you to guidance to match your needs. 

Members only

‘What Clients Think’ Report 2026: Official Launch Webinar

By Design Business Association
Hear from author of the 'What Clients Think' report, Up to the Light's Jonathan Kirk, in conversation with the DBA's Adam Fennelow as they explore the report’s unparalleled insights directly from 700 clients.

New business & client relations, Strategy development

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If you’d like to discuss joining the DBA, please email adam@dba.org.uk

Free to view

‘My Life in Design’ Podcast Episodes

By Red Setter and Design Business Association
Whether you're looking for your first break in the design industry, or for your latest inspiration, the 'My Life in Design' podcast is for you. A partnership between Red Setter and the DBA, find out more and tune in.

Business skills, HR

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Members only

Key Agency Finance Metrics

By Design Business Association
Understand the ratios and metrics you can use to keep a firm handle on the health and profitability of your design business, with this handy downloadable guide. It explain and sets out how to calculate your 'Staff costs to liquidity ratio', 'Liquidity ratio', 'Debtor days', 'Recovery rates', Income per head', 'Salary to charge out fee ratio' and how to balance salaries, fees, utilisation and recovery rates.

Financial

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If you’d like to discuss joining the DBA, please email adam@dba.org.uk

Members only

Benchmarking for micro-agencies | 2025 DBA In Focus Report

By Design Business Association
Available to download and utilising data from the 2025 DBA In Focus Report, we have taken the responses of agencies with one to five people and created this report specifically for micro-agencies to enable them to benchmark their business performance, income, fees, how they use freelancers and more.

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If you’d like to discuss joining the DBA, please email adam@dba.org.uk

Members only

Using design data to drive business decisions | Launch of the 2025 In Focus Report

By Design Business Association
DBA In Focus [formerly the DBA Annual Survey Report] is your most powerful tool for benchmarking your business performance against the wider design industry. Catch up on the launch of the 2025.

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If you’d like to discuss joining the DBA, please email adam@dba.org.uk

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Creating an impactful Senior Leadership Team

By Jeremy Paterson, DBA Expert and MD at IF Media Consultancy
Embedding an impactful Senior Leadership Team is the most significant project a founder can do to drive current, and future, value from their business and is a critical aspect of building to exit. But perhaps this scenario rings true for you? 

HR, Strategy development

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Members only

Beyond free pitching: building stronger, smarter client relationships

By DBA x Design Week
Catch up on this DBA x Design Week webinar that looks at the root causes of free pitching and what you can do to stop it.

Financial, New business & client relations, Strategy development

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If you’d like to discuss joining the DBA, please email adam@dba.org.uk

Members only

US Tariffs – what’s the impact? | DBA webinar

By Design Business Association
What are the implications of US tariffs for you and your design agency? Catch up on this clear-cut, unbiased explainer that will leave you better informed and with an understanding of the current situation and implications for your business.

International trade

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If you’d like to discuss joining the DBA, please email adam@dba.org.uk

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Free Pitching: 01 The DBA stance

By Design Business Association
The DBA stance is clear – we recommend agencies do not free pitch. It devalues what you are selling and does not produce the best solution for the client.

Advice for clients, Financial, New business & client relations

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Free Pitching: 02 Advice for Agencies

By Design Business Association
Free pitching is an unsustainable business model for design agencies – a practice that has no place in our industry – and the DBA can support you in saying no.

Financial, New business & client relations

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